Census: Edmonton population absorbs westward migration

Edmonton's skyline is seen in this May 2011 file photo.

Photograph by: John Lucas
, Edmonton Journal file photo

The country's fifth-largest city, Edmonton is also one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country, according to census data released Wednesday.

Between 2006 and 2011, more than 81,829 people came to Edmonton, an increase of 11.2 per cent, bringing the total population to more than 812,000, census data showed.

The percentage increase was larger than the largest census subdivision — Statistics Canada's definition for cities, not including separate municipalities on the outskirts — in the province, Calgary. Nationally, the greater Edmonton area was the second-fastest growing census metropolitan area, which Statistics Canada defines as an area with at least 100,000 people and a core of at least 50,000.

Edmonton is now the fifth-largest city in the country, behind Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa.

Edmonton's growth mirrored a provincial trend that saw Alberta grow at a faster rate than any of Canada's 10 provinces.

More than 10 million Canadians — just less than one-third of the country's population — live in the West after adding more than 766,000 residents between 2006 and 2011.